Betrayal
by anonymouse13
Summary: Angel's point of view on her faked betrayal during MR3. Includes background on Ari's sudden change of heart and possibly a petite amount of faxness. Please read and review! Chapter 5 up!
1. The Plan

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Maximum Ride or any scenes you may recognize from the third book.

* * *

Angel cleared her mind and tried to focus on the plan. At the moment, she was having difficulties. It had been hard to go through with the first step, and she imagined that the deception would only grow more and more painful until her true allegiance was revealed. Iggy, Nudge, and Gazzy were locked in the back of the van while she rode in the passenger seat, on Jeb's lap. It was hard for her not to cringe away, since he looked and smelled like the School. But his thoughts were jumbled, unclear. He was trying to block her out, but wasn't doing a very thorough job of it.

_Flock… dream of… school… Total… freedom… plan… break… can't…_

His thoughts were shaken and she couldn't get a grasp on what they really meant. It surprised her that Jeb was readable at all. She remembered her last terrifying encounter with him, when she had been captured for the first time. It seemed like so long ago, even though Angel knew it had only been a few months. And she hadn't gotten a single thought. But now she could, and they weren't making any sense.

Jeb shifted his legs slightly and cleared his throat. Angel twisted around on his lap to face him. She could see Ari's face in the back, but she ignored him. He watched her hungrily.

"Angel, sweetie…" Jeb trailed off, seemingly unable to find words. She remembered to make her eyes big and innocent. Angel didn't need her mind to manipulate people; her big blue eyes were often just as effective.

"Angel, we don't want to hurt you."

"Good," said Angel, making her voice clear and crystalline. "I don't want to hurt you either."

Jeb blinked, surprised. Angel smiled at him. _I would like to hurt you_, she thought, still smiling. _But that's not part of Max's plan. Maybe later._ Jeb still looked a little startled, but that _was_ part of the plan. She needed him to believe that she thought she was powerful, that she was maybe even a little bit crazy. That way he would believe her, believe her when she said-

"I want to help you. You're doing what's right for me. Max and the flock won't listen to me anymore."

Angel opened her mind to Jeb's thoughts again. There was an air of surprise about them, but she still couldn't make out more than singular words.

_Angel… flock… turned… dream… plan… help…_

That was a little bit easier to interpret. Jeb thought that she had turned away from the flock! That was exactly what was supposed to happen. The last three words were a bit harder. She didn't really know where the word "dream" worked in. It was a dream come true for her to help him with his plan? That was a strange expression for an evil scientist, strange even for him just to think. That wasn't it. There was more going on here than Angel knew. More going on that Max had anticipated. But Angel was going to stick to the plan. That's what Max had said. Stick to the plan.

"That's great, Angel, sweetie," Jeb crooned. Angel almost flinched at the sickly sweetness in his voice, but she suppressed her reaction just in time.

"The flock isn't doing what's best, anymore," Angel continued. "You need to get rid of them. For their own good."

"And everyone else's." Jeb finished, sounding satisfied. Angel felt a little bit sick inside, that he truly believed this, but she held it in. He needed to believe her. Everyone had to believe her. Even the flock themselves, since no one knew about their plan except for her and Max. It had hurt so much to watch Nudge and Gaz and Ig be loaded into that truck, not knowing where she was. She knew they would worry about her. She knew how much pain it would cause them. If she wanted to, she could even read their thoughts to find out exactly how much despair they were feeling. But Angel would never do that. That would hurt her as much as it hurt them.

And they didn't even have Max yet. But they would, soon. Max and Fang would come back looking for them, and they'd know what happened. They would track them down; Angel had noticed the obvious tracks Jeb had been leaving. There was no discretion concerning where they were going. They wanted Max and Fang to come. And they would.

As though Angel's thoughts had summoned her, an agitated scream came from the air above them. Angel didn't have to look to know it was Max.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So I never planned to write this, I was just having a little block on my other story and started writing to try to clear it out. Instead, I got this. I already have a second chapter written, so please review and let me know if you'd like it up. Also, please check out my chaptered story, Until the End of the World, which should be updated shortly, seeing as I don't seem to be suffering from writer's block anymore. 


	2. Arrival

**Disclaimer:**You may recognize exact dialogue in this scene from MR3. That should be an indication that I don't own it.

* * *

The van stopped so quickly that Angel was slammed against the windshield. Maybe if she'd been human it would have hurt, but she wasn't, so it didn't. Jeb threw open the door and clambered out with Angel right behind him. She heard Ari throw the middle door open and sprint clumsily to catch up with them. 

It was Max, all right. She was flying downwards in a tight dive, going so quickly that Angel suspected she was using her power. Max landed on top of the van, struggling to keep her balance. Fang landed on the ground a few seconds later. Max launched herself off of the top and hit the ground a few feet away from him. Neither of them had seen Angel yet.

"Iggy?" Max screamed, looking desperate. She knew there was no way they could pull this off. That's why they had a backup plan, and that backup plan was Angel.

"Max!" came Iggy's muffled voice from the back of the van.

"You guys ok-" Max broke off when she saw Angel standing with Ari and Jeb. Angel noticed the slightest flash of recognition in her eyes. This was the plan. Max had taught it to her a long time ago, and now the situation had come to use it.

"Angel!" Max yelled. "Are you okay?" Angel knew she was acting, to make the betrayal more real in the eyes of the Jeb and the other Whitecoats. "I'm gonna take these guys apa-"

Angel made her eyes like ice, voiding herself of all emotion. She cut Max off with a voice as cold and empty as she could muster. "I _told _you I should be the leader, Max. Now it's your time to die. The last life forms from the labs are being exterminated, and you will be too." Gazing up at Jeb with calculated admiration, Angel asked him for confirmation. "Right?"

Jeb nodded, and then the whitecoat who had been driving whipped out a tranquilizer gun. The look of anguish on Max's face was all too real, and Angel felt terrible. But Max knew that this was the plan. This was the only way they would ever get out of this. But Angel shielded her eyes when the gun went off, and when she looked again, Max was on the ground. Fang knelt beside her and gave Angel a piercing glare, and then the dart landed in his side.

The Whitecoats and Ari picked the two sleeping bodies up roughly and threw them in the back of the van with the others. Jeb nodded curtly and led Angel back to the passenger seat. Ari climbed in behind them, still quivering with excitement.

* * *

They pulled up to the building. Angel knew what it was. She'd seen it in her dreams for as long as she could remember, and recently, since her last stay here, it had been more vivid than ever. The School. 

Jeb opened the passenger door and lifted Angel out, then got out himself. A Whitecoat climbed out of the driver's seat, and more were gathered by the door. They practically licked their lips when they saw Angel. Jeb noticed this too.

"She's not for you, boys," He said warningly. The Whitecoats looked disappointed. "She's with us, now. You get to deal with the rest of them. We've got the other five in the back." He tapped the side of the van with his fist. It made a hollow metallic sign. The Whitecoats grinned. Jeb pulled Angel forward by the hand, towards the door. The Whitecoats parted for them and watched as she was led through the door. She took one last look at the van, where Ig and Nudge and Gaz where. They were opening the back doors. But then she was inside, and she couldn't see them anymore.

An antiseptic smell overwhelmed her, but Angel held the feeling in. She reached out to Jeb's mind to find out where they were going. Nothing. There was a barrier again. But she didn't show her frustration. _Hold it all in_, she thought to herself. _You're doing what is right. This is the plan._

Jeb led her to an office and sat in the chair behind the desk. It was bare, yet the furniture it had was extravagant. The chair behind the desk was made of dark wood and padded with soft-looking fabric. The desk had carvings down the side, carvings of animals. How appropriate. The nameplate read "Batchelder," and the desk was organized and clean, papers sorted into manila folders stacked in piles on the sides. Angel sat down in the chair opposite Jeb's. He smiled at her. It was less of a condescending smile than before.

"Thank you for offering to help us," he said.

"It's what's best," said Angel coldly. Pretend you have no emotion. Pretend you don't care about anything, or anyone.

"I'm glad you see it that way," said Jeb, the chill in his voice now matching her own. "The rest of the flock will be disposed of after a few additional tests."

Angel nodded, trying to look satisfied, as though that was exactly what she had wanted to hear.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So I hope you enjoyed the second chapter! I don't know exactly how long I'm going to stretch it out, so please let me know if you have any ideas. Please check out my other story, Until the End of the World, if you have the chance. And review, review, review! (Please?) 

Thanks to the people who reviewed the first chapter: FangsBestFriend, aviator301, MoneyGirl, disneydork, therealme1123, Someone aka Me, Becky, blackroses14, and FallingisFun.


	3. Settling In

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Angel or Jeb (not that I'd want him), but I do own the lumpy pillows and the blinking red surveillance cameras.

* * *

Angel was shown to a small white room, where Jeb said she'd be staying for a while. 

"It's not quite ideal," he told her matter-of-factly, "but it'll do for now. We weren't exactly… expecting you."

_I'm sure you weren't_, Angel thought. She looked around the room. It was white and sterile, almost like a laboratory. All it was missing were straps on the bed, to hold her down while she struggled and screamed and twisted her body to keep it away from that needle, long and silver and thick and menacing, rough straps that dug into her skin and left deep blue bruises there for days…

But Angel wasn't going to go through that. Not this time. She just hoped she could save the rest of the flock before it happened to them.

She looked up at Jeb and smiled as innocently as she could. He smiled back, but it was a small smile, as though his lips had forgotten how they used to curl up at the corners, crinkling the skin on his cheeks. But that Jeb was long gone; it had been just an act, just a test, another way to hurt the flock.

_I don't want to hurt you either_, she had told him. But that had been a lie. She wanted to hurt him more than she wanted anything else in the world. But that wasn't part of the plan. Lie low, fit in, get as much inside information as you can. It will help us in the long run.

"Thank you," said Angel, still smiling at Jeb. "I'm happy with whatever room you can give me. I want to help."

"I'll give you a little time to get settled in," Jeb said smoothly, then slipped out of the door, shutting it behind him. Angel listened for the subtle click of a lock, but there wasn't one. Maybe she had gained their trust. Since Jeb's mind block had come back up, there was no way of knowing for sure. So now she had to prove herself to the cameras.

She could see the red blinking lights of the surveillance cameras, one in each corner of the room, peering down from the ceiling. The best thing to do was pretend that she didn't see them. Angel sat down on the bed and bounced, testing the springs. They were stiff and uncomfortable. She punched the single pillow; it had the same consistency, with a few added lumps.

There were some articles of clothing laid out on a chair across from the bed. Angel walked across the room and picked up a dress. It was pink, her favorite color. Jeb knew. Her heart swelled, as did a lump in her throat. But Angel knew crying was one of the worst things she could do in front of the cameras. So far, she had portrayed herself as a heartless, cold, calculating little girl who didn't care about anyone or anything. Crying over a pink dress would not add to that image.

So instead she laid the dress back on the chair, smoothing out the wrinkles in the cotton fabric. Angel thought about the rest of the flock, tied down on beds somewhere, probably. No fancy clothing or lumpy pillows for them. She wondered what the school was going to do with them. Angel hoped that when she did see the rest of the flock, as she was bound to, sooner or later, she would be able to hold her act together. Max had said to stay undercover as long as possible, until the very last minute. It was Angel's job to gather as much inside information as she could, while she had the chance.

The door opened again, and Jeb was standing there. "Anything you'd like?" He asked. Angel sucked in a breath to compose herself. Jeb gave her a strange look.

"Actually," said Angel, lifting her chin to act more in control, "I'd like to clean up and then get changed. We were living in the dirt before you rescued us. Rescued me."

"Of course," said Jeb, his face going blank again. "Right this way."

Angel followed him down the hallway. The place still gave her chills. All of the doors looked the same. Any door could open to the room with the treadmill where they'd tortured her, testing her heart rate and endurance. Or maybe it would be the room with the maze, with the hot coils on the floor that burned whenever she stopped to take a breath.

"Here you are," said Jeb, opening one of the menacing doors for her. Angel peered in, almost afraid of what she would see. It was, in actuality, an innocent looking bathroom, almost like the ones they'd had at Anne's house.

'Thank you," said Angel, giving Jeb another empty smile.

"After you've gotten cleaned up, I'd like to show you the flock, and then ask you a few questions."

Angel nodded, her heart sinking, and closed the door.

* * *

**Author's Note: **This is turning out to be quite easy to write, actually. Sorry if the chapters are a bit short, but that's the way this is going to be. If you're hungry for a lengthier piece of writing, please read and review my other story, Until the End of the World. I _love_ reviews. So _please_, tell me what you think! Thanks for reading!

Thanks to my wonderful reviewers: kiki1592, disneydork, GoonlaLagoon, PolkaDotFeathers, Someone aka Me, Kairi, aviator301, senoritasophia13 (x2) , Jayde3, breakdown156, RippedIntoPieces, MoneyGirl197, resist the temptation, and blackroses14!

Also: check out my new oneshot, Paint My Mind, which is a lovely piece of depressing fax.


	4. Interview

**Claimer: **I own my keyboard, computer, mouse, and my thoughts!

* * *

Angel showered and dressed slowly, trying to put off seeing the flock for as long as possible. She hoped that the School wouldn't hurt them, because Max had told her that if they did, Angel wasn't to do anything about it. At least not before they started hurting the flock _really_ badly. Then it was time to step in. That would be the end of the charade. 

She looked at herself in the mirror. She could see her real skin color for the first time since they'd stayed with Anne. Angel's hair was thin and blond, curling loosely now that it was clean. The dress was light pink, Angel's favorite color, but the edges were hemmed with a frilly white lace that she didn't like. She would never have worn this dress if she'd had a choice. This thought was a relief; Jeb may have known her favorite color, but he didn't know her like Max and the flock did.

Angel opened the door and peered out into the white hallway. It was empty. She stepped cautiously into the white light and shut the door behind her, the click of the handle echoing in the silent hallway. Why were they letting her walk around unaccompanied? It must be another test. She walked quickly back to her room, pretending she had no doubts whatsoever. The soles of her shoes made a clicking sound against the white tile.

Jeb was waiting for her in the room. He stood up when he noticed her approaching. "Angel," he said.

She smiled, hating him. "Jeb."

He led her back down the hallway, past the bathroom, and through a maze of identical hallways. Occasionally, a Whitecoat with a clipboard would be walking in the opposite direction and nod at Jeb as they passed. Finally, they stopped at a door, which was exactly identical to all the others. Jeb pulled out a ring of keys and sorted through them for a minute, searching for the right one. He unlocked the door and walked inside. Angel followed.

The room was empty.

"I thought you were taking me to the flock," said Angel, allowing a hint of surprise to taint her voice.

"The flock is not scheduled to be interacted with for a few more days," Jeb informed her. "They are currently sleeping, so I assumed there would be no purpose in your seeing them."

Of course. Think like a Whitecoat. Who cares about sleeping avian hybrids? Not Angel.

"So," Jeb continued, "We will proceed to the questioning. Would you like to sit down?" He indicated a plastic chair in the center of the room. Angel sat down. Across from her, separated by a small wooden table, Jeb reclined in a more comfortable piece of furniture. Angel's eyes quickly darted around, taking in her surroundings. Like in her room, there was the blinking light of a camera in each corner. The walls were painted white, as Angel had by now grown to expect. They really needed some color in here.

Jeb leaned forward and pressed the button on a recorder, which sat on the wooden table. He settled back in his chair and looked at her, crossing his arms over his chest. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat theatrically. "Angel," he said, nodding.

"Yes?" Angel smiled at him, wishing she could read his mind to anticipate the questions.

"We'd like you to tell us about the flock and your… motivations."

"Of course."

"At the time of your capture, what was the flock's anticipated course of action?"

All these big words. Couldn't he just ask what he wanted to know and get it over with? Angel was starting to feel even more uncomfortable. She met Jeb's cold eyes with an equally distant stare. "We were looking for a home," she said.

Jeb blinked, caught off guard by her answer. "A home?" he asked, not quite believing her.

"Yes," said Angel. She didn't hesitate to tell him the truth. For one, he would just hook her up to a lie detector if he had any doubts, and secondly, Angel didn't really think the flock was going to carry through with this plan. Not now, after the School had intervened.

"I can't imagine Maximum agreeing to do something so… passive," prodded Jeb, still incredulous.

"It wasn't her idea. Fang convinced her. He said we didn't want to play your game anymore."

"But Max disagreed? Initially, at least?"

Angel hesitated him. To answer this truthfully would reveal some of Max's thoughts, opinions she had not voiced out loud. Jeb noticed her stalling and leaned forward, glaring. Angel no longer had a choice but to tell him. He smiled encouragingly, and Angel's stomach twisted.

"She doesn't want to play your game, either," Angel said. "But she can't help it. It's in her nature, to fight you. She can't just leave, she has to win."

Jeb leaned back again, looking satisfied. "Good," he said. "Very good."

Angel's curiosity got the best of her. "Why does it even matter? I thought you were going to terminate the avian project, for their own good?" It hurt her inside to say the last sentence, but it was necessary.

Jeb looked flustered. Angel smirked inwardly, hoping it didn't show on her face. Jeb had a different plan from the others. _This_ was the information she was here to find out, the information she had turned traitor for.

"I believe I am the one doing the questioning here," Jeb spat.

Angel gave him her most wide-eyed, innocent look. "How can I help if I don't understand the situation?"

Jeb's cheek twitched. Angel held her gaze.

"There are a few… professional disagreements between myself and another head scientist, a mister Roland TerBorcht. He would prefer the experiments to be terminated, whereas I believe they could still be helpful, if… If they learn to… Cooperate."

"Thank you," said Angel coolly, although she was nearly bursting on the inside.

* * *

**Author's Note: **We'll be seeing the flock soon. I will also be introducing Ari into the story within the next one or two chapters, I haven't decided yet. In the meantime, please review and let me know what you think! I am much more motivated to write when I get feedback! And since this is last chapter I have pre-written, and I'm going back to school next week, I'm going to need motivation. So review! 

Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Thanks to these people for their reviews: GoonlaLagoon, aviator301, disneydork, ChocolateMilk2, Adriana, SingedSealedWritten, senoritasophia13, PolkaDotFeathers (x2), stewie-for-govenor (x3), Darth Atkid (x3), and FallingisFun. Special thanks to PolkaDotFeathers and Beefcake the Mightly, who left a very entertaining review. I hope you two are still alive and did not explode from anticipation.


	5. Ter Borcht

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Angel, Jeb, the flock. I also have no claim over ter Borcht, although I had a heck of a lot of fun writing in his accent.

* * *

Before Angel could comment on this new piece of information, or even prod for a bit more, she and Jeb were interrupted. The door was thrown open and bounced against the wall with a cracking sound. Jeb winced as a long rip in the paint was revealed in the otherwise spotless wall. Then the newcomer cleared his throat, and Jeb looked up. Angel's eyes rose to regard the rather large person now standing in the doorway.

"Dere you are!" he said, with a heavy accent. The man was tall with sandy hair, and seemed to be developing a bit of a potbelly. "I've looked all over dis stupid facility! All de doors look de same!"

It took a sufficient amount of self-control for Angel to keep from laughing. Jeb raised his eyebrows with a look of refined respect. "Well, you've found us now, Dr. ter Borcht. What do you need?"

_Ter Borcht_, Angel remembered. The scientist Jeb had a "professional disagreement" with. Now she saw that Jeb's dislike surpassed the field of science. She decided not to prod into this new subject's mind until he had calmed down; at the moment he was giving off waves of fury that Angel could read without even trying.

"Vhat do I need?" hissed ter Borcht, spitting with incredulous anger. "I need to test dis subject! De afians are slated for extermination!" He spoke the last sentence with a sort of triumphant glee. Angel's instant dislike swelled to the surface.

"When you say 'afians,' do you mean avians?" she asked, her voice coming out in a convincingly clear and innocent tone. "Doesn't that mean birds?"

Ter Borcht gave her a condescending glance. "Of course I meant afains," he scoffed. "Dat is vhat I said." He turned back to Jeb with an air of extreme impatience. "Vhat are you doing vith dis vun? I thought you had dem all contained, togedder?"

"I haf-" Jeb cleared his throat. "I _have_ the others together, but this one, Angel-"

"Subject elefen?" asked ter Borcht. Jeb nodded, and the scientist rubbed his hands together with glee. Angel could feel the sick delight radiating out of his mind. "Subject elefen, dis vun is de most-"

"Don't get excited, ter Borcht," Jeb snapped. Angel was surprised at his sudden concern. "You won't be sectioning this one's brain anytime soon. She's with us."

Ter Borcht looked disappointed for a second, his giddy aura fading, but then he adopted a grin once more. "Vith us, eh? Dat's good, good…"

There was a short silence, and Jeb cleared his throat again. Ter Borcht did not take the hint, and continued to stare at Angel, whose brain he was obviously still thinking of dissecting. Angel didn't need to be a mind reader to read _those_ thoughts; she half expected him to drool in anticipation.

"Well, Doctor?" Jeb interrupted. "Was there anything else you needed?"

"Yes!" cried ter Borcht, snapping back to attention. "I'll need somevun to show me how to get back to de main lab! Dis place is like a maze! How you people find your vay, I vill nefer know!"

Again, Angel suppressed a giggle. She suspected that by the end of all this, she would be quite good at keeping a straight face.

* * *

After Jeb had accompanied both Angel and ter Borcht back to the main lab, ter Borcht decided that he wanted to see "de afians." Now.

"But Dr. ter Borcht," argued Jeb, struggling to keep a professional tone of voice, "We've got to keep them on the right schedule. If we wake them up too early, the drugs could have a harmful effect on their health, and-"

"Dere health? Dey are about to be exterminated! Ve don't _care_ about dere health!"

A red blotch appeared on Jeb's face. Angel knew from experience that that was a bad thing. She crept behind a nearby desk, wanting to be as far away as possible.

"In order to ensure the most accurate test results," Jeb began, "we need to maintain the correct-"

"Your test results don't matter anymore! De afians are failed experiments; dey don't _need_ to be studied! You are not in charge, und I am in charge now, so you vill listen to me, und I say dat ve vake up de afians!"

Angel dodged a bit of spit that had flown across the room at ter Borcht's last statement. But the pieces were starting to fall into place. Jeb wasn't in charge, but he had been. What did that mean? Had he been in charge when the flock was created? Were they Jeb's project, was that why he'd always seemed to care for them? But one thing was clear: Jeb wasn't giving the orders anymore. And the flock was headed for destruction.

Ter Borcht and Jeb continued to stare at each other, their "professional disagreement" clearly visible in their red faces. Ter Borcht's specific shade made Angel question the state of his health. She took advantage of this quiet moment to prod into the scientist's mind.

_Dat Batchelder is out of his place… He vill learn to respect my authority or I shall haff him go de same way as de afians…_

Angel was slightly alarmed at this statement, but she had seen enough of ter Borcht by now to know that he was one to boast, even inside his head. And even if he wasn't, Jeb deserved to be brought down. Didn't he?

"You vill learn your place, Dr. Batchelder," spat ter Borcht. "Or I vill haff a vord vill de… higher ups."

Jeb swallowed, but Angel assumed his fear was just for show. And it didn't really matter anyway. In fact, Angel thought Max would be happy to hear about discord among the School's scientists. It meant they weren't as invincible as they appeared.

Ter Borcht twisted his fat face into a pleased expression, clearly savoring Jeb's submission. After letting the moment sink in, he raised hand to theatrically snap his fingers. When there was no immediate response, he cleared his throat and snapped again. A flustered clerk hurried to his side.

"Yes, Doctor?"

Ter Borcht gave Jeb a twisted smile, and Angel could feel his aura of triumph. "Fetch Dr. Valker," ter Borcht told the clerk, "und tell her ve are to vake de afians immediately."

* * *

**Author's Note: **So... I know I promised Ari, but he's coming soon. I just have to go through the scene with this flock and then I'll bring him in. Sorry this took so long, but I've been busy and severely lacking in motivation. 

I am also updating my other chaptered fic, Until the End of the World, today, so if you're looking for something a bit darker (okay, a lot darker) then check that out!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed: Someone aka Me(x2), Darth Atkid, GoonlaLagoon, disneydork, MoneyGirl197(x2), Kairi, aviator301, breakdown156, blackroses14, FallingisFun, pkoholic, PoLkAdOtFeAtHeRs (your name is so hard to type now!) Lion8520, and stewie-for-govenor. I'll try to update again soon!


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